Bridle.



J. WILSON,

BRIDLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Al %TT% JAMES WILSON, 0F WOODCLIFF, NEW JERSEY.

BRIDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed March 19, 1910. Serial No. 550,380.

I 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Janus IVILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at food cliff, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bridles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to driving bridles for horses, and the object of the invention is to provide a bridle by which the horse may be driven, guided, and controlled successfully without employing a bit received in the mouth of the animal, thus relieving the horse of the discomfort, amounting in many cases to cruelty, attending the use of a bit.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement. by which the above object is attained, to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show the invention as it has been carried out in'practice.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved bridle in position on the head of a horse. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the lower portion of the bridle on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a corresponding front view. Fig. 4e is a vertical elevation partly in section, showing one of the controlling levers and its immediately adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is a side view showing a detail.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In appearance the improved bridle differs but little from a well known form in which a curb bit is employed, and comprises a nose-strap A, crownpiece B, brow-band C and throat-latch D which may be understood to be as usual and to perform the functions common to those parts. The cheek-piece E incloses a rigid cheek-bar F of strong metal having a slotted loop F at the upper end. in which is received a buckle F by which the bar and its attached cheek-piece E are secured to the crown-piece at its junction with the brow-band and throat-latch. The cheek-piece has the usual hollow box IE on its outer face for the reception of the loose end of the attaching strap E Each bar F is cast or otherwise formed with an outward fold or arm F extending upwardly, near to and parallel with the bar, to form a housing loosely inclosing a lever G pivotally mounted therein 011 a bolt G with its upper end free to swing forwardly as the lower end is drawn back by the driving reins I-I engaged with the loops 9 in a rearwardly projecting portion G of the lever. At the upper end of each lever G- is an eye G in which is engaged a hook J re ceiving one end of a curb I, shown as a chain, extending from one hook to the other beneath the jaw of the horse to which the length of the chain is carefully adjusted.

In using the improved bitless bridle the horse is turned by a light pull upon one rein as usual and is stopped and backed by pulling strongly on both reins, which tilts the levers G and draws the curb I into strong contact with the lower jaw, thus compressing both aws between the curb chain below and nose-strap above. In order to maintain the cheek-bars F in place while the lower ends are subjected to such rearward pull, the adjustable straps or braces K are employed, secured to the nose-strap at the front and extending angularly downward therefrom to the lower ends of the bars F to which they are attached by snap-hooks K received in openings f.

Above each lever G is an eye F cast on the outer face of the bar and adapted each to receive one end of a checkrein L if the employment of the latter is found necessary or desirable.

The arm F 3 is preferably joined to the bar F immediately above the pivot G by a web F serving to strengthen the connection and also as a stop to limit the rearward movement of the upper end of the lever G which is notched or cut away to match there to, and the forward movement by the engagement of a shoulder G on the lever with the lower end of such web, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

It will be understood that other forms of levers and stops therefor may be employed; the forms shown are preferred for the reason that the main portion of the lever when in the normal position maintained by the gravity of its upper end and weight of the curb chain, lies in line with and partially concealed by the arm and cheek-bar.

Other modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the part-s without departing from the invention.

The curb chain may be inclosed in leather or other soft covering, or a strap or band of fabric of sufi icient strength may be substituted therefor.

I claim:

1. In a bitless bridle, a nose-strap, rigid cheek-bars attached thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on each cheek-bar and having means at their opposite ends for the attachment of driving reins and a curb, each bar having an outward fold extending upwardly substantially parallel with the bar to inclose the lever and means on the cheek-bars for contact by said levers to limit the movement thereof.

2. In a bitless bridle, a nose-strap, rigid cheek-bars attached thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on each cheek-bar and having means at their opposite ends for the attachment of driving reins and a curb, each bar having an outward fold extending upwardly substantially parallel with the bar to inclose the lever, and means on the cheek-bars for contact by said levers to limit the movement thereof in both directions.

3. In a bridle of the character set forth, a nose-strap, rigid cheek-bars attached there to, an arm on each cheek-bar extending upwardly from the lower end thereof and parallel therewith, a lever pivotally mounted between said arm and bar, a loop on the lower end of each of said levers for the attachment of driving reins, an eye at the upper end of each of said levers, a curb attached to said eyes, and a web extending from each of said arms to its bar, adapted to serve as a stop to limit the movement of said lever.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WILSON.

Vitnesses CHARLES R. SEARLE. IVALLY E. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

